Abstract: A combination of a host system and data storage system that enables accurate performance testing of the storage subsystem is disclosed. In one embodiment, a driver of a host system receives a command message from a host system application. The command message enables the driver to generate and communicate one or more storage access commands to the data storage system. The driver then receives one or more execution results from the data storage system and determines and communicates the total execution time of the one or more storage access commands to the host system application. When the host system application determines performance of the data storage system the undesirable impact of the communication overhead between the host system application and the driver is minimized. Accordingly, accurate performance measurements of data storage systems are obtained.

Abstract: A method for data storage in a data storage system, which includes a main storage device and a non-volatile memory, includes assessing quality levels of respective memory blocks of the non-volatile memory. One or more of the memory blocks whose assessed quality levels are lower than a predefined quality threshold are identified. The identified memory blocks are assigned to serve as read cache memory. Data is read from the main storage device via the read cache memory, including the assigned memory blocks.

Abstract: In an environment in which a processor operates a hypervisor and multiple guest partitions operating under the hypervisor's control, it is desirable to allow a guest partition access to a physical memory device without decreasing system performance. Accordingly, a conversion instruction for converting a logical address to a real address, i.e., an LTOR instruction, executable from a guest partition, is added to the processor. Upon the guest partition's execution of the conversion instruction with the logical address specified, the processor converts the logical address to an encrypted real address, and returns it to the guest partition. The guest partition is then able to pass the encrypted real address to an accelerator that converts the encrypted real address to a real address in order to access the memory device using the real address.

Abstract: A method is used in managing data storage in virtual systems. A data storage system is queried through a universal framework module of the data storage system. The universal framework module includes a first set of interfaces associated with a format used by a virtual system to communicate with the data storage system. Information associated with the data storage is retrieved from a platform specific module of the data storage system. The platform specific module provides the information to the universal framework module. The platform specific module includes a second set of interfaces based on a type of the data storage system.

Abstract: An information system comprises: a storage system including a processor, a memory, and a plurality of virtual volumes to be allocated pages from a storage pool of volumes; and a metadata server which, upon receiving from a client a write request containing file data to be written to a virtual volume in the storage system, returns the write request to the client with parallel information which is added to a data layout of the file data to be written in the virtual volume. The storage system, upon receiving the write request with the parallel information, allocates, based on the parallel information, pages from the storage pool to the virtual volume for writing the file data, so that the data layout is striped and the allocated pages fit striped data access according to the striped data layout.

Abstract: A flash memory for code and data storage includes a code memory array having fast read access and suitability for execute in place, a data memory array having the characteristics of low bit cost and high density storage, and a suitable interface to provide access to both the code and data. The code memory array may be a NOR array or a performance-enhanced NAND array. The memory may be implemented in a single chip package or multi-chip package solution.

Abstract: A method is used in managing caches for reporting storage system information. A cache is created. The cache includes information associated with a set of storage objects of a data storage system. The information of the cache is made available to a virtual system. The virtual system uses the information for reporting storage system information. The virtual system is notified for retrieving updated storage system information from the cache.

Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a data processing system comprises a memory protection unit (MPU); and a plurality of region descriptors associated with the MPU. Each region descriptor is associated with one of multiple subsets of the region descriptors and includes an address range, protection settings, and attributes for a respective region of memory. The subsets include data-only region descriptors, instruction-only region descriptors, and shared region descriptors. The shared region descriptors are used to access memory regions for data and instruction memory requests.

Abstract: Various systems, processes, and products may be used to manage remote replication of data. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for managing remote replication of data may include the ability to receive writes from an external system, request an ordered index for the writes, and send the writes to at least one storage system. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to receive writes from the at least one storage system, receive ordered indexes for the writes from the external system and the at least one storage system, and store the writes based on the indexes.

Abstract: Various embodiments for transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device operable with at least one storage protocol are provided. In one such embodiment, the logical data object into one or more segments are divided with each segment characterized by respective start and end offsets. One or more obtained variable size data chunks are processed corresponding to the logical data object to obtain processed data chunks, wherein at least one of the processed data chunks comprises transformed data resulting from the processing. Each of the variable size data chunks is associated with a respective segment of the logical data object. The processed data chunks are sequentially accommodated in accordance with an order of chunks received while keeping the association with the respective segments.

Abstract: Various systems, processes, and products may be used to manage remote replication of data. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for managing remote replication of data may include the ability to receive writes from an external system, request an ordered index for the writes, and send the writes to at least one storage system. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to receive writes from the at least one storage system, receive ordered indexes for the writes from the external system and the at least one storage system, and store the writes based on the indexes.

Abstract: An endpoint device (14) is registered in association with a host memory address in response to receipt of a request for a notification of a change in content state of the host memory address from the endpoint device (14). In response to a change in content state of the host memory address, a notification that the host memory address has changed content state is sent to the endpoint device (14). In response to receipt of the notification by the endpoint device (14), semantics associated with a change of content state of the host memory address by a data schema (42) is determined and an action is performed by the endpoint device (14) in accordance with the determined semantics.

Abstract: In described embodiments, a multiple first-in, first-out buffer pointers (multi-FIFO pointers) alignment system includes synchronization circuitry to align multiple FIFO buffer operations. A FIFO read clock stoppage signal is generated by master logic that stops the read clock shared by all the transmit channels and then re-starts the read clock to align them. The FIFO read clock stoppage signal is applied to the read clock of all FIFOs which need to be aligned and, when rate change is needed, the FIFO read clock stoppage signal suspends the read clock, causing local write and read pointers to be reset. After the FIFO read clock stoppage signal is de-asserted, the read clock starts to all FIFOs concurrently, thereby aligning the channels.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and a computer program product handling a backup process. An instruction initiates a new backup from a source volume to a target volume using one of a plurality of backup processes. A cascade includes a cascade source volume and at least one cascade target volume, and a write to a storage location in one of the cascade volumes causes a copying of the storage location to be written in the cascade source volume to each of the cascade target volumes in the cascade according to a cascade order in which the at least one cascade target volume and the cascade source volume are linked in the cascade. The cascade is modified to include the target volume of the new backup in response to determining that there is an existing cascade, else a new cascade using the backup process of the new backup is created.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that uses unused bits in a memory pointer. During operation, the system determines a set of address bits in a address space that will not be needed for addressing purposes during program operation. Subsequently, the system stores data associated with the memory pointer in this set of address bits. The system masks this set of address bits when using the memory pointer to access the memory address associated with the memory pointer. Storing additional data in unused pointer bits can reduce the number of memory accesses for a program and improve program performance and/or reliability.

Abstract: A storage control program causes a computer to execute a RAID level acquisition unit, a mapping unit, and a mapping information storage unit therein. The RAID level acquisition unit acquires RAID levels, supportable by a storage device including a plurality of storage mediums, from the storage device. The mapping unit maps the function types of a storage virtualization function in a host device accessing the storage device on the respective RAID levels acquired by the RAID level acquisition unit. The mapping information storage unit stores the correspondence relationship between the RAID levels and the function types mapped by the mapping unit as mapping information.